South Korean carmaker Hyundai seems to have put in place an aggressive product strategy for the Indian market this year. The first indication of this was given with the launch of the new Elite i20 at the Auto Expo this year.
Upping its ante in the electric segment, the first electric car of Hyundai is expected to plug in by 2019. This year again, Hyundai is expected to launch its new Santro hatchback and Creta facelift in India. The new Creta facelift has been undergoing testing on Indian terrains with the launch expected by mid-2018. The Creta SUV in its new avatar is expected to get a host of updates on the exterior and interior.
From what we have seen so far, the 2018 Creta is likely to carry a styling in line-with the facelifted Creta unveiled in Brazil and in China. The new Creta is expected to flaunt Hexagonal three-slat grille with chrome lining and the updated front bumper. The faux skid plate on the lower front bumper will be wider in the new version and it will be housed in a reworked front bumper.The changes are also likely to be at the rear.
At the rear, Creta is likely to get subtle changes while the side profile of the Creta SUV is unlikely to see any major changes. The SUV is likely to feature 17-inch diamond cut alloy wheels in dark shade and black plastic cladding in wheel-arches at the bottom of doors and bumpers.
The Creta facelift is expected to get features like engine start/stop button, keyless entry, rear-parking sensors and automatic aircon. An updated infotainment system with a 7-inch display integrated for GPS, MP3 Player, player photos and videos, USB and auxiliary is also expected to be part of the new model.
As far as the engines of the new Creta are concerned, the current 1.6 VTVT petrol, 1.4 CRDi diesel, and 1.6 CRDi diesel mills are likely to be continued. Currently, the 1.6-litre CRDi VGT diesel engine delivers 126bhp mated to a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic transmission, the 1.4-litre CRDi diesel delivers 89bhp of power. The petrol variants of Creta get 1.6-litre Dual VTVT engine delivering 121bhp power offered with six-speed manual and automatic transmission options.
The prices of the Creta are also likely to see a slight hike with the launch of the new model later this year.
